Good idea from Roger:

Name three bloggers who tend to be the opposite of you politically, yet of whom you remain a fan nevertheless.

There’s more than three. Off the top of my head:

R. Neal: Read him since he was South Knox Bubba. Always insightful and well-researched and thought-provoking writing. We agree more than we disagree but when we disagree, we do so drastically and politely. Some of the other posters at Knoxviews grate me but not Mr. Neal.

Aunt B.: My thoughts on Aunt B. are, I think, very similar to her thoughts on me. For me, she lead to an epiphany I had about feminists. See, I used to think they are all fucking nuts. It’s true, every one. And the reason for that was whenever I read about them it was some whacko who used the word womyn or was screaming at someone to get out of their uterus or some other maniacal horseshit. Aunt B. let me know they weren’t all fucking crazy. Sure, some are but some make sense and present their ideas without all the she-man-men-haters-flannel-shirt-wearing crap. Conversely, I convinced Aunt B. that we gun nuts weren’t all crazy either and that we were right about a lot of shit. Plus, Aunt B. is just damn entertaining reading.

A full 2/3rds of Leanleft: Three flavors of liberal: mild, regular and extra crispy. I have conducted epic rhetorical battle in their comments section taking Tom and Kevin to task for their, err, inconsistencies. They’ve returned the favor by doing the same to me. And we do it civilly.

Now, if you ain’t scared, here’s another meme for you: Name three bloggers who tend to concur with politically, yet you cannot stand them.

Despite what the blogs say, the shit has not hit the fan. The Holy Fuck has hit the fan.

Seems the informant the police relied upon to get a warrant to raid the house where they shot a 92 year-old woman was asked to lie by the police. Or so, the informant claims. I mean, you can’t take the word of an informant is what the police will tell us. But they rely on the loose testimony of paid informants regularly.

Radley Balko, who you’ll recall jumped the gun, says:

At risk of sounding like an arrogant bastard, at this point, every assumption I made about this case at the outset has proven correct. And then some.

I don’t think it’s arrogance. It’s that you pay attention. I thought the same thing. There were inconsistencies in the initial press reports, such as one assertion that she shot them through the door but that police knocked and entered. Now, the police are reviewing their no-knock policy, which is odd since they knocked. Or so they say.

There is also scant evidence that the warrant contains a forged Judge’s signature. Double oops. Could be or it could just be the rubber stamp judges use to approve these things.

Regardless, it’s going to be a giant shit storm of inconsistency and ass-covering. I think the one good thing that will come of this whole nasty incident is that people will finally start paying attention to questionable police tactics. That tends to happen when something happens to little old ladies.

Update: Conservative apologists jumped the gun. Heh. Remember, kids, the guy who ends up being right in the end can always accuse the other guy of jumping the gun.

Gun nuts seem to like things that aren’t gun related that other people would never really think about, like a good flashlight. A good gift that you can get for your non-gun-nut friends is a quality flashlight (such as the G2 or the Streamlight Twin Task).

Seriously, two of my non-gun-nut friends are getting them this year. And who doesn’t need a good flashlight?

You may remember when Dwight Van de Vate, the Senior Communications Director for Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, spoke on behalf of the Knox County Mayor saying that the entire Tyler Harber series chronicled in the Halls Shopper News was just tabloid reporting and that concerning the potential for an investigation of the Mayor and his relationship with Tyler Harber that County Mayor Ragsdale said, “Bring it on”.

Here is a clip from the “Ragsdale Players”, a local theater troupe in Knoxville, showing what the Mayor meant when he said “Bring it on”.

The three voices you hear are County Commissioners Mike “Yes Master” Hammond, who presents the Resolution to remove Greg Lambert’s Resolution for the investigation of Mayor Ragsdale from the agenda, the second is from Craig “The Comedian” Leuthold, and the call for the question which prevents any debate is from Phil “We don’t need no stinking debate” Guthe.

See if you can figure out who is Moe, Larry, and Curly.

On the fourth Monday of every month the “Ragsdale Players” can be seen on Knox Community Television at 2:00 PM. Channel 12 on Comcast Cable and Channel 6 on Charter Cable.

Turn in every month for the best in comedy and drama.

not this one. Heh.

I said before that I was boycotting Pilot Oil due to Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam’s membership in an anti-gun group funded by the Joyce Foundation. I was pleased to have received correspondence from someone in the Mayor’s office offering to clarify the issue with me. I received that comment 11 days ago and awaited said follow up. But the follow up hasn’t happened yet. Now, I know their office was busy with allegations of racism and the holiday weekend and all. But I have yet to hear back. My offer still stands:

I responded via email and offered to re-print anything the mayor had to say without edit. I also asked if he’d answer question about the group.

My inclination on the issue is that Mr. Haslam joined the group not realizing exactly what they were. After all, there are some Republicans in it. But I’d like some clarification.

It’s no secret that Haslam has his eyes on higher office (though I doubt it’s this one) and this issue will haunt you in Tennessee.

Some folks have asked me what it would take to clear the air and my answer is I’d like to see him call the group what it is and quit it. Or call the group what it is and work from the inside to enact measures that will actually make a difference in gun crime. Gun control is what politicians do instead of something.

I’ll continue my boycott and encourage others to do the same until the mayor’s office addresses the issue.

One thing that the “powers that be” in Knoxville agree on is that Knox County Commissioner Greg “Lumpy” Lambert has become way to popular with the people. Yet today’s Editorial in the Knoxville News Sentinel titled, “Serious issues shouldn’t be taken lightly” doesn’t go after Lumpy Lambert, it goes after other Commissioners who have an unusual sense of humor. This Editorial is diametrically opposed to an Editorial two weeks ago in the Metro Pulse that claims that Commissioner Lambert “has shown himself to be a danger to himself and others”.

The News Sentinel Editorial admonishes Knox County Commissioners for a supposedly humorous Resolution to “honor” Commissioner Lambert as “Quick Draw Lambert” and to further honor Mr. Lambert with the Annual “Make My Day” award.

Betty Bean has a column today in the Halls Shopper News, “Getting Lumpy”. Betty writes, “Last month, some of Greg Lambert’s County Commission colleagues bragged that they were going to bloody his nose for asking for an investigation of political activities in Mayor Mike Ragsdale’s office.”

In the YouTube video clip below from the November 20th Knox County Commission you can hear one single laugh as the Resolution is read. Is it safe to assume that lone laugh was Commissioner Craig Leuthold, the author of the Resolution? One wonders if Mr. Leuthold learned his comedy skills from Michael Richards?

In comedy timing is everything. After the Resolution is read Chairman Scott Moore intervenes and scolds Commissioner Leuthold telling him the Resolution is not appropriate. Then Chairman Moore asks Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison to speak to the Commission about the Kane Stackhouse, the young man that pulled a gun on Commissioner Lambert. The Sheriff stunned the Commission, audience, and Television viewers when he revealed that Kane Stackhouse would be charged the next day for a murder that occurred ten hours earlier and just three miles away. This was the murder of David Lindsey who was murdered in the Walgreen’s parking lot.

If only there was a picture of Craig Leuthold at that moment, do you think he was laughing then? So as long as this is all so jovial and just in good fun, what would a good joke nickname for Commissioner Leuthold be? Lassie Leuthold, an homage to Tyler Harber who claimed he was better trained than a dog? Or perhaps Laughing Leuthold, since he has demonstrated such great comedic skills?

Maybe this wasn’t funny after all?

If I have a 50% chance of getting something right by accident that I would not have otherwise known about, there is a 99% chance that I will get it wrong.

Two examples from this weekend:

1 – I was changing out a door knob. Our new door knobs are the handle kind and not the knob kind. It just didn’t occur to me that the handles only matched the mount one way. So, I installed the mount upside down.

2 – I’m pretty handy with woodworking. While building Junior a chalkboard, I was going to put some trim on it. But I’d never done any trim before. I didn’t realize that one side of the trim was fatter than the other side. So, I cut two pieces to mate together and the mated perfectly, other than the fact I mated the fat side with the skinny side.

In both cases, I didn’t know either would be an issue. In both cases, I had a 50% chance of getting it right through no fault of my own. But I didn’t.

Well, I do a lot. But, on the carrying guns in national parks bill, there’s this:

And LASTLY, and probably what jumped out at me the most, is the plea to call Frist and get this “rushed” through the now lame-duck Republican Congress. THIS is how the Republicans are spending their time and energy?

Indeed. The lame ass err duck Congress is trying to get its pro-gun on so in two years they can point out how pro-gun they were when running for office. But why this bill? I don’t really care about it. Most gun owners probably care little about it. Let’s get on something good, like repealing the sporting purposes language or the Hughes Amendment?

And to the NRA: You will be viewed by the press and the left as the extreme gun lobby who causes the .gov to bend to their will no matter what you do. Just look at the coverage you’ve gotten over this rather innocuous bill. You’re gonna be attacked for any pro-gun bill so you may as well push some good ones.

Via David Hardy.

Apparently, the buzz about guns while I was busy not blogging is that the NYT gets a gun issue wrong and that they are (gasp!) biased a smidgen. It’s true, take my word for it. Says the NYT:

America’s confusion about the Second Amendment is now nearly total. An amendment that ensures a collective right to bear arms has been misread in one legislature after another — often in the face of strong public disapproval — as a law guaranteeing an individual’s right to carry a weapon in public.

I don’t really care about carrying in parks. I figure if you’re near some large wildlife capable of hurting you and you’re not armed, you’re stupid. Practice civil disobedience, I do. But the only one confused about the Second Amendment is the NYT. I issue the same challenge to them that I issue to every ignoramus who makes the claim that the second amendment doesn’t mean what it says:

Find one document from the time of the founding that related to the debate and ratification of the Constitution and Bill of Rights that supports this contention.

Just one. I’ll wait. Extreme Mortman says:

Wheter (sic) Allen’s bill is good policy should make for robust debate. But is it too much to ask the New York Times to put facts first and mockery second? Probably

But he says it about something else.

only better.

Now, listen up Pattycakes:

Did the libertarians jump the gun? Maybe. But I cannot buy that a small amount of weed justifies busting someone’s door in and shooting them dead. Or that such an amount even justifies busting a door down to begin with. Or that having a small amount of weed and a handgun carry permit justifies busting their door down and putting ten rounds of 9mm into their chest. I’m weird like that. Now, I am not saying that there are not instances in which busting someone’s door down is justifiable but these should be the exception and not the rule. It’s done too often and too many innocent people die as a result. And it doesn’t do a lot for the image the police have these days. And busting people’s doors down should be limited to violent or serious crimes. Maybe the cops were legally justified in their actions. But that don’t make it right.

That, coupled with the fact there too many conflicting bits of info, is probably why folks were so quick to judge.

Some AR porn from Heartless Libertarian who is showing us the new MGI Modular System AR-15. Cool idea to have one lower that can fire 5.56 and you switch out the upper and the mag well to fire 7.62X39 with AK magazines. But with the lower going for five bills and the AK mag well going for $250, I think I’d just get an AK and $350 worth of ammo.

Some good stuff over at the gun blogs from the new guy Terminal Homer. See The Little Marlin and Pimping an SKS.

Also, Cook County is at it again with a ban on weapons that look like assault weapons.

Spent most of the long weekend not doing any. Put up the Christmas lights, ate, watched football, tended to sick kids, shopped, and did a few chores. So, I’ll catch up on the old email and the blog feeds. Did I miss anything important?

Also, on Black Friday, I ran into Late for Dinner and his charming wife, who were also making an emergency Christmas decoration run. I think that’s the first time I’ve been out and heard someone yell Hey, Uncle. But that’s not why I mention it. The reason I do is that about three years ago me and the Mrs. met Mr. and Mrs. Late for Dinner for, err, dinner one night. We said we’d have to do it again. And never got around to it. Seeing them made me realize that. And I thought to myself Self, why is that? Oh, now I remember. I had kids.

about this article. 1) Defense is spelled with and S and not a C; it’s defense not defence. Until the Canadians rectify that gross injustice, there can be no peace between our people. 2) If you’re drunk and walk into the wrong house by mistake because you think it’s your house, you deserve to have the shit beat out of you.

ET politicos and their guns:

A newly elected Lafollette city councilman is now facing Aggravated Assault charges for holding a suspected thief at gunpoint.

Police arrested Mike Stanfield on Tuesday, after finding him at the home of an alleged thief, holding a gun to the suspects head.

Yeah, threat of force for property doesn’t usually fly.

No blog for you. Come back later.

Well, the instalanches brought traffic. And they brought some moonbats. So, to them, yes, it’s all Clinton’s fault, even the fact a Starbuck’s opened in my hometown is his fault somehow; we need more blood for oil; and I am glad our lord and savior George Bush is waging a religious war on them there Godless heathens and doing his best to rid the world of gay cooties. Did I leave anything out?

Meanwhile, totally unrelated:

Sure, I’ll shit on you but I’m uncomfortable going to the Bronx.

Alrighty.

Les Jones notes that “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” Mayor Convicted on Gun Charges.

Seen at PDB’s who notes: at least she’s observing Rule 3.

And my personal favorite, Mr. Big Arms with his Aimpoint weapon sight mounted backwards:

Update: For you non-gun-nut readers, in the first pic, the magazine is in backwards.

Update 2: Also, put your elbows down and put your nose just behind the charging handle. And, though it’s just my preference, in the standing position I prefer to use the magazine-well for support instead of forearm. I can tuck it into my shoulder that way.

So, when exactly did Glenn Reynolds start reading me regularly?

Cool. And thanks.

That’s what Chuck is fond of saying. But there are times when they don’t take prisoners. Drug warriors rely on bogus tips from paid informants and raid the wrong house or put on their gay little ninja outfits or use excessive force. And someone dies. Pete has a memorial page for drug war casualties. Well, it happened again and this time it’s so embarrassing that it’s getting press and blog play. The AP:

A 92-year-old woman was shot to death Tuesday after she fired at three narcotics officers trying to serve a warrant at her house, officials said.

Neighbors and relatives said it must have been a case of mistaken identity. Police said they had the right address.

Police said the woman, whose name was not released, was the only person home at the time, and had lived there for about 17 years.

As the plainclothes Atlanta police officers approached the house about 7 p.m., a woman inside started shooting, striking each of them, said Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman. One was hit in the arm, another in a thigh and the third in a shoulder.

The officers were taken to a hospital for treatment, and all three were conscious and alert, police said.

Sarah Dozier, identified as a niece of the woman, told WAGA-TV that there were never any drugs at the house.

“My aunt was in good health. I’m sure she panicked when they kicked that door down,” Dozier said. “There was no reason they had to go in there and shoot her down like a dog.”

Got that? The police likely raided the wrong house and shot dead a 92 year-old woman. Unreal. And, as is standard operating procedure, the wall of silence will go up and no one will be held to account. What others are saying:

Glenn: these raids should only occur when there’s reason to believe that lives are in immediate jeopardy. And police should be liable, civilly and criminally, without any shield of official immunity, in cases where these no-knock raids go wrong.

Radley: You know, watching local news coverage of the shooting, you’d think that the only newsworthy aspect to all of this is that three police officers suffered non-life-threatening wounds. The lack of focus on the fact that a 92-year-old woman is dead is rather appalling.

Pete: No politicians were harmed in the gunfire.

AC: When police make a mistake — someone can die. I am not saying that a no-knock raid, as this clearly was, should never be authorized but you better be damn sure.

My $0.02: Those involved in this raid should be prosecuted. I’m generally for police having legal protection when doing their job correctly. But when they fuck up that bad, they should lose that protection.

Update: Tam:

If I gotta die, I want it to be at 92 years old in a shootout with the cops.

And she’d probably have landed some head shots. On a more somber note:

We, as a society, have a lot to be really proud of there, no?

Drugs are winning the war on drugs.

Update: Radley caught the police presser:

1) The search warrant was in fact a no-knock warrant.

2) Police claim there was an undercover buy at the residence. The seller was apparently a man — obviously not Ms. Johnston.

3) “Suspected narcotics” were seized from the home, and have been sent to a crime lab for analysis. The assistant chief wouldn’t say how much of the suspected narcotics they found.

4) He also wouldn’t speculate if Johnston herself was involved in dealing drugs, or knew if drugs were being dealt from her home, saying only that both were “under investigation.”

5) He maintains that despite the no-knock warrant police still announced themselves before entering, though he acknowledged moments later that the announcement came as police were battering down the door

Countertop, on the local rag‘s asinine editorial that borders on fucking retarded due to subsequent events, writes:

is it really that alternative when every city carries generally a similar type of publication with the same format, ad base, editorial views, and hooker ads???

Heh.

Charged with supporting terrorists because they provided access to a Hezbollah television station. The canaries are dead.

only outlaws will have potato guns.

During civil emergencies in the state of Tennessee, the governor (per TSC) may order the discontinuance of selling, distributing, dispensing or giving away any firearms or ammunition of any character whatsoever. Gunner says he’d gladly be a criminal if that were the case.

I concur. In fact, if the shit ever hit the fan and you needed to borrow a weapon or two, I’ll gladly lend you one.

Seems the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership isn’t as confident post-election as it once was:

Gun control: Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, says he has seen a list of the top 100 Democratic priorities; reinstating the now-expired ban on military-style assault weapons is “in the 90s.” At least, he says, conservatives can’t weaken gun control laws.

Good. Meanwhile, people say to me: Hey Uncle, I think it’s a bit unfair that you call The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership. And I say: Because that’s their goal. As evidence, let’s look at the gun control utopia that is Massachusetts, which has enacted or came close to enacting everyone of The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership’s pipe dreams. Well, these pipe dreams aren’t enough and more are needed:

“Dan Vice, a staff attorney with the Brady Campaign, which advocates for gun control, said Massachusetts needs to establish a statewide registry of legally owned guns. He also urged the state to restrict gun purchases to one per month.

“The good news is Massachusetts has been a model for the nation, but much more can be done,” he said. “

Massachusetts: live free, or there.

Yeah, I don’t think they’re that good an idea but I am reminded by reader Dave of the cheap scout rifle and Mosin as scout rifle.

An Abercrombie & Fitch commissioned Colt Trailblazer SAA in .45 LC

How To Build A Cheap AR in 101 Easy Steps. Heh.

Via Marc.